Pond Liners and Using Pond Liner Calculators

Undertaking the project of building a pond can be a difficult, but rewarding task. You are going to want to ensure that you construct it in such a way that ensures its longevity, safety and quality.

What Is a Pond Liner?

A pond liner is placed in the hole that you dig. It is a waterproof sheet that will stop the water from leaking out of the pond. When you excavate the area you have allocated to your pond, you are going to want to ensure that the water does not seep into the ground. A pond liner stops this from happening.

Pond liners do not just come in one material and different types can provide you with different benefits. Below, we have listed some popular types of liners for your pond.

• PVC Pond Liner
• Rubber Pond Liner
• EPDM Pond Liner
• Flexible Liners
• Underlay

In addition to maintaining the presence of water in your pond, liners can also ensure that no sediment and debris can be easily removed from the pond. You also buy different thickness levels for your liner, so this also needs to be a part of your consideration. Some common sizes are:

• 0.5mm - Affordable, but can tear in colder temperatures, ideal for small ponds
• 0.75mm - Ideal for flat sheet pond liners, recommended for most garden ponds
• 0.85mm - Similar to 0.75mm but offers a little more durability
• 1.00mm - Ideal for box-welded ponds and regular-shaped ponds, extra durable, and good for wildlife

It is important to look into each type in further detail to establish the right type of pond liner for you. 

Pond Liner Underlay

Before you decide on the type of pond liner you want to go with, it is extremely important that you do not forget to include underlay. This adds an extra layer of protection for your pond by ensuring that the pond liner does not get damaged.

Underlay will sit between the pond liner and the ground. It is a strong, durable fabric that can prevent stones, rocks, roots and other types of matter from puncturing the lining of your pond. In the case this was to happen, it would prevent the water from draining.

In some cases, people will forgo underlay, but it is a fairly cheap material and it can really ensure the life and quality of your pond. As with most materials, you can buy different types of pond underlay, but note that the thicker the underlay is, the better the level of protection.

Flexible liners (LDPE)

Flexible liner is one of the most popular pond liners. LDPE or low-density polyethene liners are great for the environment and they will give the bottom of your pond a smooth finish without creases.

Due to the materials' durability, this pond liner, in most cases, will require very little maintenance. It is resistant to UV rays and most are covered with a rot-resistant covering. This also means that it is resistant to rips or tears.

The materials itself is a lightweight, which makes them easier to instal. Alongside the weight, it is flexible, as the name suggests, so it is easy to manipulate and get into position. This makes it a great pond liner for beginners who haven't installed a pond before.

If you are looking for a cheap way to ensure the quality and longevity of your pond, then flexible liners are your best option. It's great for people on a budget and with the underlay underneath you can guarantee a well-protected pond.

PVC Pond Liner

A step up from the flexible liner is PVC (polyvinyl Chloride) pond liners. If you have fish, this is a great pond liner that is safe for them and it is great for protecting the pond from damage.

Whilst it is a step up from flexible pond liners, it is still relatively cheap. It is resistant to UV rays and rot, whilst ensuring that your pond is protected in the harshest of weather conditions. It is easy to instal and provides a hard barrier between your pond and the ground. With the additional layer of underlay, you can guarantee the protection of your pond from sharp objects in the ground.

If your pond has shelves or awkward corners, this type of pond liner can be great for ensuring that areas are protected. PVC pond liners are the best quality plastic liners for the price.

Rubber Pond Liner

Rubber pond liners, like butyl liners, are the strongest and more durable pond liners that you can buy. They are great for experienced pond keepers and people who are serious about the development and security of their ponds.

Overall, rubber pond liners are the top choice for pond owners. It is non-toxic to any pond life that you may have and it will not absorb UV rays. It is a flexible material that is good for shaping different styles of ponds.

This type of liner is suitable for ponds of all different sizes, simply buy the right size and instal. In comparison to the other pond liners, it is more resistant to punctures. This pond liner is a great option for long-living ponds with great quality pond liners.

EPDM Pond Liner

EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer) is a synthetic rubber pond liner that has a wide use that extends far beyond lining ponds. You can use EPDM liners for bigger projects like lakes and streams. They are a more economical choice in comparison to rubber pond liners and they are safe for the following:

• Wildlife surrounding the pond
• Any pond life that you have in the pond, such as fish
• Reservoir ponds

This is a great option to ensure water retention and the prevention of leaking. This makes it especially popular with people who are intending to build a large pond. It requires little maintenance after it has been installed, making it a great option for your pond.

What Is a Pond Liner Calculator?

A pond liner calculator refers to the way that you can work out the size of the pond liner that you are going to need to fill your pond. This can also work for the pond underlay. There is a simple way that this can be done.

You can find pond calculators online that will require you to fill out the following information.

• The length of your pond
• The width of your pond
• The depth of your pond

This can usually be done in either feet, inches, meters or centimetres, depending on the unit of measurements that the website requires.

This will then consequently, format a response that calculates the total measurement of pond liner that is needed. This is a great way to ensure that you do not come up short on your purchase of a pond liner. It can look something like this:

Pond Length = 5M

Pond Width = 5M

Pond Depth = 5M

Calculations: Pond Liner required = 16.00m x 16.00m with a pond underlay measuring 128.00m x 2.00m.

What Is a Pond Volume Calculator?

Similar to a pond liner calculator, a pond volume calculator will tell you how much water is in your pond. You can find a calculator on google and it will ask you to input certain dimensions that help with the calculation of your volume.

You will need to provide the following:

• Pond Length
• Pond Width
• Pond Depth

This will help you to know how much water you have in your pond. It can be useful to know this for a matter of reasons, such as buying the correct equipment, plants and treatment methods for the water in your pond.

Once the website has finished its calculations, it will provide an amount in gallons. For example, it may resemble something like the following:

Maximum Pond Length = 5M

Maximum Pond Width = 5M

Maximum Pond Depth = 5M

Total Volume Calculated: 125000 litres in volume (27,497 gallons)

What About Other Essential Pond Supplies?

During the process of building your pond, as well as maintenance after, you are going to want to ensure that you have the following essential pond supplies. Whilst it is easy to think that the water of your pond will remain balanced, this isn't always the case. However, with some of the following essentials, you can achieve a well-maintained pond, that provides a safe environment for the life inside.

Pond Cleaner

A pond cleaner is incredibly beneficial for ensuring that your pond is well maintained and removing potentially harmful material from your pond. Build up in the form of sludge and bacteria which will use up the pond's supply of oxygen. This can be incredibly damaging for ponds that hold fish.

Thermometer

Keeping track of the temperature of your water can be helpful to establish quality pond maintenance. If you have fish in your pond, this is a really great way to ensure that they are being housed in the correct temperatures.

Additionally, knowing the temperature of your pond can provide a better analysis of the overall health of the pond by ensuring the pond is kept within the correct temperatures needed. You can find many different types of pond thermometers, such as:

• Floating Thermometers
• Digital Probe Thermometers
• Infrared Thermometer

Floating Thermometer

A floating thermometer will float on the surface of the pond's water and provide you with a reading. These are the most simple form of thermometers and they are easy to read. However, most of these devices do not have a way to see the measurement without removing the thermometer from the water. This can affect the reading and potentially provide an inaccurate result.

Note that if you have a deep pond, a floating thermometer can only measure the temperature of the water that is just below the surface.

Digital Probe Thermometer

If you have a deeper pond, then a digital probe thermometer will be a much better option for you. You can measure deeper temperatures with this. You can dip the probe around a meter deep into the water and get an accurate reading.

It is worth considering doing this multiple times to find the average temperature of the water.

Infrared Thermometer

This type of thermometer is used to measure the temperature of the surface of the pond. This is done through an infrared beam. The downside to this type of thermometer is that it lacks the ability to read any temperature that is below the surface.

A Pond Net

A pond net is a great, quick and efficient way to remove debris and other materials that are sitting on the surface of the pond. If you have a large pond, long-handled nets can be a great way to keep them clean.

Filter

Some ponds will require the use of a filter that is used to remove any toxins and pollutants that are present in the water. This may not be essential for every pond, but if your pond can benefit from one, then it should definitely be considered essential.

Pump

If you have fish in your pond, then a pump can be essential for your pond. A pump is responsible for introducing air to the water and ensuring that it circulates throughout the pond. This provides extra oxygen for the plants and the fish that may be housed in your pond. A pump can also help to prevent the build-up of bacteria, which makes the water quality much healthier.

Aeration Systems

Regardless of the size of your pond, you can benefit from an aeration system. This is responsible for mixing the water temperature that sits and the top, with the water that sits and the bottom of the pond. This means that you can use your thermometers to generate a much better reading on the accurate pond temperature.

In addition, this will increase the oxygen levels in the pond, which is great if you have plants and fish.

Treatments

In some instances, you will be required to treat the water with chemicals that help to keep the ecosystem balanced. If you are experiencing a high pH, rainfall or phosphates. Certain water treatments will help to ensure that the quality of the water is maintained, break down waste and keep the waters clear.